Extragalactic Astronomy at Durham 2008-2013
Lead Research Organisation:
Durham University
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Over recent years observational astronomers at Durham have been at the forefront of many major advances in the study of galaxies and cosmology. We have a publication and citation record which we believe speaks for itself (see proposal introduction). Durham astronomers currently lead major international projects that exploit many of the the world's foremost ground and space observatories. We will capitalize on our proven track record in AGN studies, precision spectrophotometric analysis of stellar populations in nearby galaxies, multiwavelength studies of galaxy populations at high redshift and panoramic QSO and galaxy surveys, to answer open questions which lie at the core of modern astrophysics. In this proposal we present the case for support of a coherent and comprehensive programme that builds on our strengths and seizes new opportunities. Our programme addresses key questions in the STFC Roadmap, such as ``What are the laws of physics in extreme conditions?'', ``How do galaxies, stars and planets form and evolve?'' and ``What is the Universe made of and how does it evolve?''. This proposal is constructed around the four core themes of our research: Theme A: AGN: outflows from black holes their growth and environment Theme B: Galaxy evolution and archaeology and closely related to this; Theme C: feedback and the formation of galaxies Theme D: Survey cosmology, using galaxies and clusters as probes of large scale structure and evolution There is a well established deep rooted synergy between our work and the research of the ICC group, and the instrumentation group (CfAI).
Publications
Aharonian F
(2009)
Spectrum and variability of the Galactic center VHE ? -ray source HESS J1745-290
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
HESS upper limit on the very high energy ? -ray emission from the globular cluster 47 Tucanae
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Energy spectrum of cosmic-ray electrons at TeV energies.
in Physical review letters
Aharonian F
(2009)
Simultaneous multiwavelength observations of the second exceptional ? -ray flare of PKS 2155-304 in July 2006
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Discovery of very-high-energy ? -ray emission from the vicinity of PSR J1913+1011 with HESS
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Discovery of VHE ? -rays from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae object RGB J0152+017
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
HESS observations of ? -ray bursts in 2003-2007
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
Probing the ATIC peak in the cosmic-ray electron spectrum with H.E.S.S.
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Discovery of a VHE gamma-ray source coincident with the supernova remnant CTB 37A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2007)
Upper limits from HESS active galactic nuclei observations in 2005-2007
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2010)
Erratum to "Observations of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy by the HESS experiment and search for a dark matter signal" [Astropart. Phys. 29(1) (2008) 55-62]
in Astroparticle Physics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Exploring a SNR/molecular cloud association within HESS J1745-303
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
DISCOVERY OF VERY HIGH ENERGY ?-RAY EMISSION FROM CENTAURUS A WITH H.E.S.S.
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2008)
Search for gamma rays from dark matter annihilations around intermediate mass black holes with the HESS experiment
in Physical Review D
Aharonian F
(2009)
Constraints on the multi-TeV particle population in the Coma galaxy cluster with HESS observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATIONS OF PKS 2155-304 WITH HESS, FERMI , RXTE , AND ATOM: SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS AND VARIABILITY IN A LOW STATE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2008)
Simultaneous HESS and Chandra observations of Sagitarius A$^{\star}$ during an X-ray flare
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
A SEARCH FOR A DARK MATTER ANNIHILATION SIGNAL TOWARD THE CANIS MAJOR OVERDENSITY WITH H.E.S.S.
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2009)
DISCOVERY OF GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM THE SHELL-TYPE SUPERNOVA REMNANT RCW 86 WITH HESS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2010)
Discovery of VHE ? -rays from the BL Lacertae object PKS 0548-322
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Very high energy gamma-ray observations of the galaxy clusters Abell 496 and Abell 85 with HESS
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2008)
Chandra and HESS observations of the supernova remnant CTB 37B
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Acero F
(2009)
Detection of gamma rays from a starburst galaxy.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Acero F
(2010)
First detection of VHE ? -rays from SN 1006 by HESS
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Abramowski A
(2011)
H.E.S.S. constraints on dark matter annihilations towards the sculptor and carina dwarf galaxies
in Astroparticle Physics
Abramowski A
(2011)
Search for Lorentz Invariance breaking with a likelihood fit of the PKS 2155-304 flare data taken on MJD 53944
in Astroparticle Physics
Description | The programme funded by this grant produce a number of observational insights into fundamental features of galaxies, black holes and large-scale structure. To give just one example, using the newly-completed Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) we undertook the first survey of extreme starburst galaxies in the distant Universe, demonstrating that these galaxies are very likely to be the progenitors of the most massive galaxies seen today in the local Universe, but seen in an early and very active phase of formation. |
Exploitation Route | Further academic research or through the development of new facilities (e.g. ELT and SKA) or observational programmes. |
Sectors | Education |
URL | http://www.astro.dur.ac.uk/Cosmology |
Description | 6dFGS survey |
Organisation | Australian Astronomical Observatory |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and construction of the FP catalogue, i.e. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.443.1231C |
Collaborator Contribution | Many other science contributions, e.g. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.444.3926J http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.445.2677S http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016MNRAS.455..386S |
Impact | now focused on mostly exclusively on 6dF++, i.e. TAIPAN http://www.taipan-survey.org/ Map the southern cosmography with ~110 k redshifts. First detailed map of the southern hemisphere peculiar velocities. |
Description | 6dFGS survey |
Organisation | Australian National University (ANU) |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and construction of the FP catalogue, i.e. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.443.1231C |
Collaborator Contribution | Many other science contributions, e.g. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.444.3926J http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.445.2677S http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016MNRAS.455..386S |
Impact | now focused on mostly exclusively on 6dF++, i.e. TAIPAN http://www.taipan-survey.org/ Map the southern cosmography with ~110 k redshifts. First detailed map of the southern hemisphere peculiar velocities. |
Description | Wide field astronomical surveys |
Organisation | University of Hawaii |
Department | Institute for Astronomy |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Durham an offical partnet in the Pan-STARRS consortium, which operate a telescope in Hawaii. |
Collaborator Contribution | They provide the telscope and operations support. |
Impact | The principle output is research papers published in refereed journals. |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Seminars and invited talks |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | All of the co-applicants on this grants have given numberous seminars and invited talks at universities and international meetings and conferences. These activities help to enhance the wider knowledge of our research, and foster new collaborations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2009,2010,2011,2012 |